This Day in Humor with Mike Durrett


Born 1893: Franklin Pangborn, one of the all-time great comic character actors, seen in more than 200 movies between 1926 and 1957, specializing in snooty and huffy professional types -- more often than not, he was a store clerk or hotel manager. Scores of hilarious performances, including two supporting roles in W.C. Fields' vehicles, as the nauseous financial records examiner, J. Pinkerton Snoopington, in "The Bank Dick" (1940) and the flustered Esoteric Studios' producer, Mr. Pangborn, in "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break" (1941). As part of writer-director Preston Sturges' repertory company, he appeared in six films, among them "Sullivan's Travels" (1941), "Hail the Conquering Hero (1942), and "The Palm Beach Story" (1944). Died 1958.

Born 1919: Ernie Kovacs, video innovator, tv host, and actor, often credited as the first true television comedian for his surreal twists of the medium. He transitioned into films (1958's "Bell, Book, and Candle," 1959's "It Happened to Jane"), seen in cigar-chomping co-starring roles. A car accident took his life in 1962.

1975: The "Barney Miller" sitcom, starring Hal Linden, debuted on ABC-TV, running until 1982.

1992: Motion picture comedy pioneer Hal Roach received the James Smithson Medal. The director, producer, and screenwriter was honored in his 100th year with this, the top honor of The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

1997: Pop music sensations The Spice Girls' only movie opened in theatres, the musical-comedy "Spice World," reminiscent in style to The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night."

Copyright ©2003 Mike Durrett. All rights reserved.